Ancient Bohemia
by Elephantian
Summary: Roger dreams he is in ancient Egypt. However, the other bohemians seem to be there, too. [Aida.RENT crossover] [for challenge 35] [you don't need to have seen Aida to understand this]
1. Chapter 1

**For challenge 35, I needed to write a crossover. Since we're performing Aida at my school, I decided to cross that over with RENT. I will post a chapter for each night of our performances, which is six all together. Tonight is opening night (!) so, thusly, this is the first chapter. Enjoy!**

**CHALLENGE 35: has to feature Mark and/or Roger, but can focus on another character, if you so wish. The requirement for this challenge is that is has to be a Crossover fic, BUT it has to be a realistic crossover. Now, I know crossovers by definition are not realistic, but what I mean is that the situations you create can't be sci fi in nature, can't have flying dragons, time traveling, or Mark pregnant, or other stuff like that. They must obey basic laws of physics and nature, etc. If you have any questions, just e-mail me. Remember, just because things have to be realistic does not mean you can't have fun, if thats what you want to do.****  
**

"Shut up, Roger! You don't know anything!"

"I know that you stole my guitar so I'd be distracted while Mark snuck out even though it's pouring outside! He got mugged and beat up, too!"

"You're such an asshole! Go fuck yourself!"

"Roger! Mimi!" Mark intervened, "Stop fighting!"

Mimi and I glared at the filmmaker. "Stay out of this, Mark," I warned, "I wouldn't want you to get scratched by the 'feline of Avenue B'. More like…FAT FELINE!"

"Mature, Roger," Mimi spat, "Real mature indeed. And there you are again, defending Mark again! If you love him so much, why don't you marry him?"

"Maybe I will!" I shouted before storming off to my room and slamming the door shut.

I slumped down onto my bed and buried my head underneath my thin pillow. Regardless, I could still hear everyone comforting Mimi. Just because she helped Mark get that new reel of film he wanted. I was looking out for him, too! I didn't want him to get sick.

"God," I groaned, "I sound like my mother."

Without looking up, I pulled a thin blanket around my body. Mimi's words were ringing in my head.

_If you love him so much, why don't you marry him?_

I shook my head and turned over in my bed. However, there was no bed to turn over onto.

"AHHH!!!" I screamed, rolling out of a hammock.

Rubbing my now sore head, I looked around the room. It was very small and all that was in it were hammocks. At one end of the room, there was a wooden door. On shaking legs, I staggered over to the door and opened it.

I was on a boat, which explained the dizziness I was experiencing.

"Captain Rogemes!" I heard someone yell, "There are women on the shore! Shall we try to capture them? Captain?"

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around. "Well?" a man asked.

"What? Why are we capturing them?" I asked.

The man gave me a skeptical look. "For…slaves, Captain."

I was completely clueless, but decided not to let on. "Oh, yes! Of course! We need more slaves back in…well…back home. To the shore we go!"

The man nodded and yelled out a few things. I put my hands on my waist and felt a holster of some kind. Curious, I pulled out a long, shimmering sword. As I admired it, I began to softly sing a little tune, making up words as I went along.

"We have swept to glory," I began.

I looked around. It looked like a desert and reminded me of pictures of Africa I'd seen in textbooks in school.

"Egypt's mastery expands,"

Egypt was the only African country I could remember off the top of my head.

"From the Nile's northern most delta, to the dry, dry southern sands."

It wasn't a masterpiece, but it wasn't all that bad, either.

I looked to the shore and could have sworn I saw Angel and Mimi. They were wading into the water, laughing. My blood boiled. I was still mad at Mimi. Adrenaline pumping, I grabbed some shackles from off a crate on the deck and jumped into the water. The other men followed my lead, and in no time, the small group of women was surrounded.

"Get them onto the boat," I said, glaring at all of them, but especially Mimi, "I'll deal with them there."

The men nodded and began cuffing the women. However, before they could get very far, Mimi stole a sword from one of the men's—my men's?—holster and began fighting them off. With amazing speed, she had the man in her hold, the sword dangerously close to his neck.

"Let them go!" she demanded.

"No," I said simply.

"You take us and then say you own us, yes?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Well, I took this soldier from your ranks. So by your own rule, I own him. Now _let them go_!"

It was definitely Mimi; at least she was feisty enough. Though I did find it odd that she wasn't addressing me by my name. Didn't she recognize me? Really getting into the captain role, I snapped my fingers, and several other soldiers put swords to the women's necks. I could see the distraught in Mimi's eyes, and she let the soldier go.

"Should we drown her, Captain?" one of my men asked, cuffing Mimi.

"No," I replied, "I have a better plan."

With that, I made my way back to the ship, dragging Mimi by the cuffs behind me.

I led her to the room I was in before and managed to find a bucket full of water with a sponge in it. I nodded to myself and turned back to her to undo her cuffs.

"No!" she pleaded, "Don't!"

"You don't want me to undo these?" I asked, gesturing to the shackles.

"Oh, yes," she said quietly.

"What's your name?" I asked, throwing the shackles to the ground.

"Mimida." She answered, rubbing her wrists where the cuffs had been.

"Who taught you to fight like that?" I asked.

"My father."

"Because he knew your men couldn't protect their women?" I snickered, "You know, I should enlist you the army; you could be a lieutenant."

"Are you mocking me?" she questioned.

"No, admiring," I answered and grabbed the bucket, "Do you know what will happen now? You will wash the filth from my skin. It has been a long time since I have felt clean."

It was true. Benny had cut the water supply from the loft a few weeks ago, and we all felt disgusting.

I grunted as the sponge forcefully dug into my back. "You're much better with a sword then a sponge," I pointed out.

"I wish I had a sword right now!" Mimi…no, Mimida muttered.

"Here's mine," I said, unbuckling my holster and holding it out to her, "Feel free to take it."

She eyed it dangerously for a few seconds before dropping the sponge into the bucket, causing the water to slosh over the wooden floor.

"My father taught me to use a sword, not a sponge!" she exclaimed, "I am finished!"

"I did not excuse you!" I nearly yelled, striking her to the ground, "You're not done until I say so, you—"

"You know nothing about me," Mimida spat, "And could care less. How can you understand how empty a person feels after being taken captive? You are destroying Nubia and taking away our past!"

"That's enough!" I shouted, "You are a slave and nothing more!"

I picked the shackles up and began to replace them.

"No!" she pleaded, "Leave them off!"

"I will do no such thing," I said, "You are a slave now, and the sooner you realize it, the better!"

With that, I shoved her out of the room onto the deck and watched with satisfaction as one of my men took her off to where I assumed the barracks where. I felt better, much better. Now that my rage from our fight was out, I could talk to her like a civilized human being.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm glad so many people like this! A quick apology—I wrote the entire story (yes, it's finished) and then broke it up into different chapters. So if the beginning and ends of the chapters seem kind of choppy, that's why. Anyway, opening night went well! I'm in the pit orchestra, incase anyone was wondering. The Radames is really good, and the Zoser sounds like the one on the Broadway CD (I forget his name). Anyway, there's another performance tonight at seven, so here's the next chapter!**

"Captain Rogemes!" a soldier called out, "We're approaching Egypt!"

I smiled triumphantly. "Good," I said, before returning staring out at the glittering waters of what Mimida had called Nubia.

Nubia, what a name.

It was beautiful, like the very little I had seen of the country.

I lifted my head when I heard a bell being rung.

"Come now, Captain," a young boy said, leading me to a lower part of the boat, "Dinner's being served! Now that the illness has passed, we can feast!"

"What kind of feast?" I asked, trying not to show my excitement, as there hadn't been food in the loft in days.

"Not much of one," he answered, "Dry monkey heads, mostly. And water so contaminated it will make us vomit and ill again for days."

"It sounds…great," I said, forcing a smile.

"I know it's probably not the kind of luxury the son of a minister is used to, but I hope you'll understand."

I smiled down at the boy. "It's better than nothing," I said, "Anything is better than nothing."

He grinned widely and scurried into the galley, me on his heels.

I kept my smile, despite the facts the room smelt like shit.

And so did the monkey heads.

But I was full that night as I went to sleep.

Full and happy. It was said that we'd reach Egypt tomorrow morning, so then we could have good food. And I also heard there would be a banquet in our honor. That sounded like fun, though I knew we wouldn't be dancing on tables and scorning Benny like we had at the Life Café that one Christmas.

Before I knew it, my eyes were fluttering open and there were shouts of excitement. We had reached the Egyptian port! I rushed out on deck, hoping for a nice view, but Egypt was nothing compared to Nubia, which was disappointing.

A slave girl escorted the slaves I had captured and me to an elegant room full of silky fabrics where a man in ragged, orange pants and top met me. He looked a lot like Collins.

"Welcome home, Rogemes," he greeted, "Everyone was getting impatient. I kept your house in order, though a few gourds of wine went missing again."

"Rogemes, my son!" a man with a very sinister voice and a black robe with a red stripe exclaimed, interrupting Collins, "How I've missed you. Move aside Coleb."

With that, he pushed the man who looked like Collins roughly to the ground. It scared me how much he looked like Benny

"I've missed you…" I began, unsure who this man was.

"Don't you recognize your own father?" the Benny-guy asked, "Just another point proving you've been gone too long! How will you get on Pharaoh's good side, who's sickness is getting worse, by the way. He'll be gone in a matter of weeks."

"That's too bad," I said.

"Too bad?" Benny-guy shouted, "Too bad! Rogemes, I have devoted my entire life to getting you onto the throne! How will Pharaoh allow you to marry his daughter if he doesn't like you?"

"Minister Benser," Coleb said, "I'm sure the Captain is tired from his long journey. Maybe you should let him rest?"

"Oh, I suppose so," Benser said, "I will see you at the banquet tonight, son. The Pharaoh and the princess will be there."

I nodded. "I'll be there, father."

"Good boy, now what to do with these slaves? Maybe we should send them down to the copper mines. The slaves just keep dying down there."

"No," I said, looking at Mimida and Angel out of the corner of my eye, "Send them to the fields. They're all women and won't last a day in the mines. But not this one."

I grabbed Mimida by the arm.

"Send this one to the princess,"

"Yes, she'll be expecting something," Benser said, "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find a few thousand slaves. We need an extravagant tomb for the Pharaoh and it's not going to build itself."

I nodded and watched as Benser walked out of the room, taking the Nubian women with him.

"Coleb," I said, turning to the slave, "Take Mimida to the princess."

"Your name is Mimida?" he asked curiously, turning to Mimi.

"Coleb! Get going." I muttered, thrusting Mimida into his grasp and leaving the room.

I spied a great deal of scrolls on a shelf in the other room and picked one up. There were hieroglyphics all over them, but I could, surprisingly, read it. And what was even more of a shock was that it seemed to be a diary, written by me!

"Maybe now I can figure out what the hell is going on." I muttered, taking the oldest dated scroll and settling down in a chair. However, the talking from Coleb and Mimida caught my attention.

"I know who you are," Coleb said, "I may have been taken from Nubia when I was only nine, but I remember my past. My father worked in the King's palace, so we lived a privileged life. And since you are, indeed, the King's daughter, you can tell how I know you, Princess."

"Coleb," Mimida said, "What you say is true, but now I'm just a slave like the other Nubians here. You must not speak a word of this to anyone! The Egyptians would kill me if they found out I was the daughter of the Nubian King!"

"Very well, Princess," Coleb replied, "But your people do deserve to know."

"Can you please just take me to the Egyptian princess, Coleb?" Mimida asked, "I need to begin my duties as a slave. I deserve this. I took Angebka and the other women to the shore, where we were caught. If I hadn't been so selfish, we'd still be in Nubia. And if it hadn't been for that idiot of a captain. He is so full of himself."

"Even so, Captain Rogemes saved me from being beaten. He is better than most of the Egyptians here. And he did save you and the other women from the copper mines."

"That is true, but it doesn't change my opinion about him."

By that time, I had crept over to the door and was looking in from the crack between the door and the wall. As soon as the two Nubians had exited the room, I swiftly followed them.

They went through many halls before coming to a room. I spied a large, potted shrub outside the door and hid behind it. Luck was on my side, as there was a fairly large gap in the wall and I could see perfectly inside the room.

There must have been twenty handmaidens there, all surrounding an extravagantly dressed woman who looked like…Mark? Sure, she had longer hair and was a lot bustier, but it was definitely Mark. She was looking at herself longing in a mirror.

"Aren't I perfect?" She…he?…asked.

"Yes, princess, in every way you are perfect." The handmaidens chimed in unison.

"Then why hasn't Rogemes come to see me?" she…he?…no, definitely a she, exclaimed, "He's been to see his father, but won't even visit a beautiful princess with fabulous hair! How can two people be betrothed for nine years and still not even pay a visit?"

I felt the vomit rise up in my throat. Mark and I were…engaged? That just wasn't right. He was my best friend, but I didn't want to marry him!"

"Princess Marmneris!" Coleb exclaimed, making himself noticed for the first time, "The grandest in charm, manner, and accessories. The Captain has brought you a gift."

Marmneris squealed in delight, but frowned when she was Mimida. "A handmaiden? I don't _need_ another handmaiden. Does this gift have a name?"

"Mimida," she said boldly, and the slaves gasped.

Marmneris gasped as well. "Did you just speak?" she asked.

"My name is Mimida," Mimida said again, "Did you not ask what it was?"

"You don't tremble or lower your eyes! Do you not fear me?" Marmneris exclaimed angrily.

"Would it please you if I did?" Mimida questioned.

"Not so much," the princess admitted.

"Than I am doing what you please," Mimida said, "Anyway, I have talent with a needle. I could make you a robe matching that the color of your eyes."

Marmneris squealed with delight and picked a small dog up from the floor. "A slave that knows her fabrics! I'm keeping her!" she told the dog, and to Coleb she said, "Take Mimida to the sewing room, if you would?"

"Of course, princess."


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, the only reason I'm posting this now is because our show is at two thirty (I have be there at two) and I'm going to be doing homework until then and will have no time left to post this. Oh, okay, the next post will not be until next Friday. As I already said in the first chapter, I will post one chapter each day we have a performance, and our next one isn't until next Friday, so please be patient! Oh, also, I based the named minister (as you'll read) off one of the Zosers (it's double casted), so it's just a variation of his name. He's a really good Zoser, and so is the other. Enjoy!**

As Mimida and Coleb left the room, I continued to watch my bride-to-be.

"Now ladies, I have to make myself presentable for the Captain. And what better way to get his testosterone running than through dress? After all, I haven't grown up in a world of fancy, elegant and expensive fabrics and clothing all these years without learning a thing or two! It has made dress my strongest suit! Now let's polish this gem!"

As the handmaidens ran around, holding up dress after dress to Marmneris, I left, and decided to visit Pharaoh.

After asking a slave for directions, I entered the room of the Pharaoh.

"Good afternoon, your highness," I mumbled, bowing, "I heard from my father that you are not well."

The Pharaoh looked incredibly like a male Joanne, and even had a glint of kindness in his eyes. That calmed me down.

"Ah, Rogemes, what a pleasure to see you," he said, "You have been gone for so long, all of Egypt thought you wouldn't return!"

I grinned. "It seemed like a long time," I said, "It's good to be home. I was wondering, when my troops are rested, could we set out on another expedition? The maps we made were very precise."

The Pharaoh smiled. "I will think about it. Expect my answer at the banquet tonight."

"Thank you," I said, bowing once more before exiting the room.

I heard him burst into a fit of intense coughing as I shut the door. It was shame this poor man was dying, he seemed quite nice.

"Who would do this?" I asked myself as I walked into a large room. I could already see slaves setting up for the banquet, which was only a few hours away.

"Minister Kristoph," I heard my father say, "Put this arsenic in the Pharaoh's wine this evening. But remember, only a few drops. As much as I want him dead, I don't want him dead yet."

A possibly even more sinister voice than my father's said, "Very well Minister Benser. Who could have thought the copper mines would have been so useful?"

I quickly exited the room and walked dazedly down the elaborate halls. My own father and the league of ministers were killing Pharaoh? How could they do that with a clean conscience?

So wrapped up in my thoughts, I didn't notice Mimida and ran smack into her.

"Watch where you're going," she snapped, picking up the fabrics she had dropped.

"Who are you to talk to me like that?" I said, "You are just a common slave."

"And just a day ago I was free in Nubia," she replied, "If you and your men had not captured the other women and me, we would not be having this very conversation."

"Regardless of the time, you would have all eventually ended up within these walls as slaves," I said, "And so you should pay me much more respect. I could send you down to the copper mines in an instant!"

"And you should know that I am no longer your property! I belong to the princess now." Mimida replied.

"That does not matter," I said, "I could do it anyway."

"And if I died down there?"

"I'm planning on another expedition further south as we speak," I answered, "More of your people will be captured. There are many people in Nubia, and even if the death rate stays high, we will have enough slaves for years to come."

"How can you speak of us that way?" Mimida asked, tears in her eyes, "We are not animals, though you treat us like it! I would rather die than watch the beauty of my country fall to the hands of the filthy Egyptians!"

"That can I easily be arranged," I said through clenched teeth, pulling out my sword, "But I won't. It will be much better to watch you suffer and squirm as Nubia falls and Egypt prevails. You know, if you'd gone down the bend a few miles, you could have been in Nubia right now. There are no Egyptians there yet, but we all did marvel at its beauty."

"Of course you did, it's Nubia."

"All I've seen of Nubia is beautiful," I said, "We are close, but it is so much different than Egypt. Maybe I will go sailing with the princess to show her the land. You can be our guide. We'll go the corners of your land where the people have not been faced with the truth of my people. There will be no tides of time or space to bind us. We'll pursue every horizon! We'll trust something we've never trusted before!"

"It sounds wonderful, but it will not happen." Mimida said bitterly, "You raise my hopes and then shatter them, Captain."

"Anything can happen if you just believe," I encouraged.

"Yes, anything can happen for a Captain in Egypt. I am but a _humble_ slave; so don't expect any pity or understanding. You have your own life to lead, and mine is being led for me…by my captors, my mistress, and all of Egypt."

"You go too far." I warned.

"No, _you_ go too far!" she yelled, "You're engaged to a princess and are the successor of the Pharaoh. What a terrible tragedy!"

With that, Mimida turned briskly on her heels and stormed off. I watched her walk away with a sinking heart and a head pounding with rage.

"Why did I tell her that?" I asked myself, "She already knew it all."

Sighing, I turned around and headed to my room to prepare for the banquet.

Soon, I arrived in the great room, which had been miraculously been transformed into an elegant room for a feast with the simple hanging of brightly colored clothes, mostly silk. I took a seat next to my father and Princess Marmneris. The Princess was engaged in conversation with the Pharaoh, who looked worse than before. Minister Benser, my own father, was admiring the skimpily dressed belly dancers behind us. It was disgusting to watch Benny wink seductively and eye the slaves, but it was even worse knowing he was my father.

I spied Mimida in the corner, holding a gourd of most likely water or wine—probably wine—and talking to Coleb. Making sure I wasn't too conspicuous, I kept a careful eye on Mimida, thinking about the secret she had told Coleb. Would I be able to get the Nubian Princess to trust me so much as to tell me who she really was?

"Rogemes, what are you looking at?" Marmneris asked.

"Oh, nothing," I said quickly, "Is that a new style?"

The Princess giggled and ran her hand along the smooth fabric of her dress. "It is now." She said.

I smiled back at her and took a sip of wine from my goblet. I had admit, I was bored. The slaves all wore fake smiles, my father was still ogling the dancers and was probably planning on taking one or more of them to his bedchamber that night, and Marmneris was still trying to make conversation with me. It was not a pretty picture.

"Rogemes, maybe I should join you on one of your little expeditions," Marmneris proposed.

"That would be nice," I said, "But we eat dried monkey meat, and drink water so tainted, we vomit for days."

Marmneris' smile fell. "Then again, I am pretty busy."


End file.
